Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am fully aware that Covid-19 has placed significant additional pressures on people with dementia and their families. I recently convened a round table discussion with carers. Unfortunately we had to conduct it online and reduce the numbers involved but I specifically asked to speak to people caring for people with dementia and mental health challenges and particularly to people who were full-time carers and did not work outside the home. To be honest, listening to them was very hard. Their stories were very stark and there is no doubt that carers have really been challenged in the last six to seven months. The Covid-19 restrictions have meant that many carers are spending the whole day at home. Every single one of us, as representatives of our constituents in both Houses of the Oireachtas, are acutely aware of that. We also know that community services such as day care play an important role in enabling older people to continue to live in their communities and maintain their social connections. These services contribute to positive ageing and better overall health. However, the introduction of physical distancing, isolation and restricted contact with family and loved ones has changed the usual dynamics of social interaction.The suspension of day services has been particularly difficult for people living with dementia and their family carers, whose usual routines have been disrupted. Against this background, the HSE is continuing to work closely with providers and community staff to identify where service is most required. It has also been undertaking risk assessments of local services. This is to ensure, insofar as possible, that day care services can resume in the context of Covid-19 and having regard to public health advice.

In the meantime, my Department and the HSE have ensured that there has been a continued focus on the needs of people living with dementia since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Through the HSE's "Understand Together" campaign on dementia, a range of initiatives and resources have been developed. Community services have been adapted to provide a flexible response that meets the needs of people with dementia during the Covid-19 pandemic. Referrals are being made to community supports, including the Alzheimer Society of Ireland, ASI, which does phenomenal work, a dementia adviser service and the local authority community response forums.

A majority of the HSE's memory technology resource rooms are now providing an adapted service through telephone and video assessment and consultation. While home visits have, of necessity, been restricted, the HSE uses prioritisation and screening measures to identify clients in need of home visits.

My Department and the HSE are undertaking work to determine the current level of service delivery in the community and to set out plans, which will include the required associated capacity, to resume services, including day services, in line with the roadmap for reopening society and business.

In addition, the ASI continues to support people through its live chat service, national helpline, home care, dementia adviser service and online family carer training. Alzheimer cafes have moved online and a new nurse line initiative has been launched with backing from the HSE and my Department. This gives people with dementia and family carers the opportunity to book a one-to-one session with a dementia nurse or a dementia adviser.

I also welcome the fact that the HSE's winter plan includes provision for a targeted work programme to double the existing home support hours in order to fully support those with high and moderate levels of frailty, including people living with dementia. The winter plan also provides funding to enable the recruitment of ten dementia advisers, which will bring the total number of dementia advisers to 28. As we headed into the budget last year, and for many years previously, we had eight such advisers. We finally made a breakthrough last year and secured ten. The additional ten to be recruited will bring the number to 20. I will talk about the Senator's other budget proposals in the next session.